Wed Sep 17 02:40:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Madras High Court has requested a response from the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a disability rights activist, Vaishnavi Jayakumar. The PIL alleges that the ECI’s website and many polling stations are not universally accessible, thus disenfranchising disabled voters. The court acknowledged the validity of the concern and urged the ECI to address the accessibility issues, including physical barriers at polling stations and inaccessible online information, particularly the CAPTCHA system.

**News Article:**

**Madras High Court Demands ECI Response on Accessibility for Disabled Voters**

**CHENNAI, September 16, 2025** – The Madras High Court has taken a strong stance on voter accessibility, demanding a response from the Election Commission of India (ECI) within four weeks regarding allegations of inaccessible polling stations and websites for disabled citizens. The directive comes in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Vaishnavi Jayakumar, a prominent cross-disability rights activist.

The petition highlights several key issues, including physical barriers at polling stations, such as the lack of ramps, and inaccessible online information on the ECI website. Jayakumar argues that the current CAPTCHA system on ECI’s websites, which relies solely on image-based verification, fails to cater to individuals with visual impairments, effectively preventing them from verifying their voter status and accessing candidate information.

“The court acknowledges that these are genuine concerns,” said Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava during the hearing. “The ECI has already taken many steps for making polling stations universally accessible but you must also ensure that these kind of physical accessibility barriers are removed completely wherever they exist.”

Jayakumar’s petition cites Section 11 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which mandates that all polling stations be accessible and all electoral materials be easily understandable and accessible. She contends that despite the legal requirement, the ECI has failed to ensure universal accessibility.

The court urged the ECI to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that all citizens, regardless of disability, can exercise their right to vote. The case is a significant development in the ongoing effort to promote inclusive electoral practices in India.

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